How to Fest
Everything you need to know to make the most of your 2023 festival experience.
Attending In-Person
Our Box Office is located inside Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Tickets or a pass are required for all in-person screenings during the festival. Some events are free and open to the public, but RSVP is required. Events at Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Cultural Campus have special ticketing procedures.
Festival Map
Explore downtown Philadelphia and all our official theaters, hotels, and other event venues.
Virtual Guide
All films will be available to stream online, unless otherwise noted. Each film will be released on a set schedule and available to "unlock" for 48 hours from its release time. Once you begin watching you have 24 hours to complete the film.
Accessibility
In order to reach our vision of a liberatory world in which a vast spectrum of experiences are celebrated in the world of arts and culture, BlackStar is working to make our spaces accessible to as many people as possible, including and especially disabled Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks.
Audio Description
Audio description will be available for select films this year. Look for the symbol in the schedule or click the button below for a list of all films with audio descriptions.
Closed Captions
All virtual screenings will have closed captions available. Look for the symbol in the schedule or click the button below for a list of all films with captions.
Open Captions
Select in-person screenings will have open captions available. Look for the symbol in the schedule or click the button below for a list of all films with open captions.
ASL Interpretation
American Sign Language interpretation will be available in-person for all public events (ex. panels and post-screening Q+As). Click the button to explore panels.
Masks Required
Masks are required at all indoor events, except when actively eating or drinking. We recommend using a high-quality mask, like an N95. Please plan to bring your own masks to festival sites, but if you do not have one, one will be provided for you. Masks must remain on while inside the theaters.
Trigger Warnings
A few films have flashing lights which may be disorienting to certain viewers, or other elements which viewers may find disturbing. Look for the symbol in the schedule or film guide and hover over it for more details.
Sensory Friendly Room
A dedicated sensory-friendly room will be available during festival operating hours, located in the Rendell Room on the second floor of the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus. Features of this room include soft seating, yoga mats, low lighting, and a number of low-sensory self-guided activities. We encourage use of this room to decompress from the stimulating environment of a bustling film festival.
Accessible Seating
Wheelchair-accessible seating is available at all screening venues. Explore the accessibility guide for more venue-specific information.
Lactation Room
A private lactation room is available at Suzanne Roberts Theatre. The room includes a private restroom and a door with a lock. A BlackStar team member will be happy to assist you in finding the area.
Wellness
While attending BlackStar we encourage you to take care of yourselves. While you might find the film festival content and experience exciting and joyful, you might also find the experience activating and at times stressful.
With that in mind, we have created a few resources for festival participants.
Frequently Asked Questions
I purchased a ticket for a screening at Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Cultural Campus. What happens next?
If you are purchasing a ticket to attend a screening at the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, you will be directed to an external KimmelCulturalCampus.org webpage to complete your purchase. You will receive an immediate receipt from Kimmel, but a confirmation email from BlackStar with your PDF ticket will be sent to you shortly after your purchase. That same unique ticket, and associated QR code, will appear in your Festival account at that time. This purchase will be reflected in your “My Schedule” page as well, for your convenience and planning purposes. When arriving at the theater you will be required to show the correct QR code to enter.
You may also purchase tickets in-person at the Kimmel Cultural Campus Box Office at any time. These purchases will then be reflected in your Festival account shortly afterwards.
Online sales for all screenings at the Perelman Theater will close one hour before showtime. After that time tickets, if still available, will only be available at the in-person Kimmel Cultural Campus Box Office.
Charges for any tickets purchased for individual event in the Perelman Theater will appear as “Ticket Philadelphia” on your credit card statement.
I was given a complimentary ticket/festival pass but would like to transfer to someone else. Can I do this?
Yes, though not in all cases. Go to festival.blackstarfest.org and login. Then look for the “My Passes” and/or “My tickets” button(s) in the top menu. Once there you will see a “Manage” option next to each of your passes and/or tickets. Click that and if available, you’ll have the option of transferring the pass/ticket to another email address. (NOTE: Some pass and ticket types may not have this option, including all screenings at Perelman Theatre at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts).
When will I receive my item(s)?
Merchandise orders are fulfilled on a rolling basis. For orders placed after August 6, orders will be fulfilled beginning September 1 when staff return from break.
What happens after I make a purchase to view a film in-person?
Any time you purchase an individual ticket via our website, you will receive a confirmation email. For all screenings at Suzanne Roberts theater and Lightbox Film Center, the confirmation and ticket will arrive via Eventive.
When arriving at the theater you must have your ticket’s unique QR code with you to be scanned in at the door. This can be accessed via your purchase confirmation email or at any time via your Festival account by logging in at https://festival.blackstarfest.org/tickets and clicking on the appropriate ticket.
If you are purchasing a ticket to attend a screening at the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, you will receive an email from Eventive and BlackStar within 1 hour of your purchase, and a unique QR code will appear in your Festival account at that time. This purchase will be reflected in your Festival schedule as well, for your convenience and planning purposes, but you must pick-up a physical ticket from the Kimmel Center Box Office in order to enter these screenings. When arriving at the theater you will be directed by staff to where you can pick up a physical ticket. If you have purchased multiple tickets you will be able to pick them all up at once.
How do I purchase a pass or ticket for BlackStar Film Festival?
All tickets and passes can be purchased via www.blackstarfest.org/tickets.
What access does my pass give me?
- Access to all films streaming on the online platform and all in-person screenings and events
- Discounted admission to the Pennsylvania Museum of Art during the festival
- 40% off Indego bikes for the month of August
- Free access to First Friday! at the Barnes
- Additional special event access
- Access to all films streaming on the online platform (watch.blackstarfest.org).
What do I do if I experience technical issues during a virtual screening?
For any technical questions related to virtual screenings, visit watch.blackstarfest.org/help. Scroll down to the bottom of that page to access the live help desk.
Will you restock items that are sold out?
Unfortunately, we do not restock any of our festival merchandise. All festival merchandise will only be available during festival dates and at a limited quantity.
Purchase an Industry Pass
Industry Passes are available for the 2023 BlackStar Film Festival to pre-approved industry professionals. The cost for a pass is $500. Click here to learn more and apply.
Is my privacy and personal information secure on your site?
Yes please refer to Shopify’s privacy policy here: https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy/customers
What kinds of payment methods do you accept?
We accept the following forms of payment:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- American Express
- Paypal
Can I modify or change my order?
Yes, send an email to [email protected] with your order number and items that need to be modified. We will do our best to accommodate your request.
How can I track my order?
Orders will be mailed within 3 days of purchase if ordered before August 7, 2023. Any order placed after this will be shipped beginning September 1st.
Order confirmation and shipping notifications will be sent for all successful orders where you can check the status of your order at any time.
I cannot find the answers to my questions, how can I reach customer service?
Don’t worry – we’re here to help! Please email us at [email protected].
How do I turn on closed captions or enable English subtitles?
To enable closed captions or English subtitles while watching via a computer, tablet or phone:
- 1. Start playing the film.
- 2. Click the gear in the bottom right corner.
- 3. Select English from the dropdown box on the subtitles line.
To enable closed captions or subtitles while watching via the Roku Eventive TV app:
- 1. Start playing the film.
- 2. Press the star (*) button on your Roku remote.
- 3. Choose the closed captions option in the menu that appears.
To enable closed captions or subtitles on the Fire TV app:
- 1. Start playing the film.
- 2. Pause the film and select the settings cog in the upper right corner of the screen.
- 3. Choose the closed captions option in the menu that appears.
Where can I find information on film ratings?
Films are not rated. Therefore, please read synopses and trigger warnings carefully. Films may feature sensitive or difficult themes and scenes.
Do any of the films feature closed captioning, audio descriptions, or other accessible options?
Some film screenings may feature closed captioning, audio descriptions, and other accessible features. You can filter through the Film Guide, Virtual Guide, and Schedule pages to find events with particular accessibility features. This information will also appear on the film page. For more information on accessibility at the Festival, visit blackstarfest.org/accessibility.
Why is a film “not available” in the country where I am watching from?
A select few films have restrictions on where they can be viewed.
Do any virtual screenings have limited capacity?
Yes, a select few films are restricted to the first few hundred viewers who press play once the viewing window opens.
How much does it cost to attend the BlackStar Film Festival?
$350 All-Access pass (access to all virtual and in-person events)
$175 Virtual pass (access to all virtual events)
$7.50 Individual tickets for virtual screenings
$18 Individual tickets for in-person screenings